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UK trips away



Marty___Mcfly

I see your wicked plan - I’m a junglist.
Sep 14, 2011
2,251
I have a short trip away within the UK booked for April, with friends. Under the new guidelines it sounds like I can no longer do this, as it would be non-essential travel and socialising?

I’m fine with following the guidance- just wondering if in these situations refunds will be issued. I’m a bit unclear as the guidelines seemed to be termed more as advice than anything legally binding- so not sure if this will impact refund policies.

I will of course investigate my own booking, just wondered what the general situation is as many people must be in the same boat..
 


Beach Hut

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 5, 2003
71,903
Living In a Box
Do not cancel as you will probably lose your money, wait for whoever you booked it with to advise you.
 


Marty___Mcfly

I see your wicked plan - I’m a junglist.
Sep 14, 2011
2,251


bhafc99

Well-known member
Oct 14, 2003
7,050
Dubai
Likewise. We have a couple of nights in a Bath hotel and then a caravan in Devon for the Easter holidays. Both fully-paid for upfront. Not sure what will happen now.
 


Marty___Mcfly

I see your wicked plan - I’m a junglist.
Sep 14, 2011
2,251
Any advice on UK trips? Government has finally ruled them out, previously the guidance just said avoid non-essential travel on public transport.

I am obviously not planning to go on this trip. I am however regularly checking the refund policy on booking.com https://partner.booking.com/en-gb/help/legal-security/important-information-regarding-coronavirus and at present there is no mention of Force Majeure measures applying to the UK in any way. What will it take for these companies to update their policies I wonder? I can contact the property owner directly but they only have to give me a 50% refund at present, any further refund would be at their discretion unless booking.com apply FM measures in the UK. First world problems I know...

Annotation 2020-03-23 110534.png
 




Springal

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2005
23,711
GOSBTS
Any advice on UK trips? Government has finally ruled them out, previously the guidance just said avoid non-essential travel on public transport.

I am obviously not planning to go on this trip. I am however regularly checking the refund policy on booking.com https://partner.booking.com/en-gb/help/legal-security/important-information-regarding-coronavirus and at present there is no mention of Force Majeure measures applying to the UK in any way. What will it take for these companies to update their policies I wonder? I can contact the property owner directly but they only have to give me a 50% refund at present, any further refund would be at their discretion unless booking.com apply FM measures in the UK. First world problems I know...

View attachment 121373

Have you contacted them to ask?
 


Marty___Mcfly

I see your wicked plan - I’m a junglist.
Sep 14, 2011
2,251
Hi- I will do that- but have been waiting to see if Government guidance / booking.com conditions resolve matters. I think that unless Booking.com change their conditions the property owner would remain liable for paying Booking.com 's commission charges, so I imagine, understandably in those circumstances, a full refund would be unlikely.

I guess there is a general point that Government avoiding setting our definitive restrictions, means that these companies do not seem to change their conditions. I thought by holding off, the situation may have been clarified. I still think that could happen today / in the next few days. If it doesn't I will contact them directly.
 


Marty___Mcfly

I see your wicked plan - I’m a junglist.
Sep 14, 2011
2,251
Sorted. Booking.com are now applying Force Majeure conditions to UK domestic travel. So a full refund issues with no fee. Hopefully other travel providers are doing the same if people have Easter holidays etc. to cancel.

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bhafc99

Well-known member
Oct 14, 2003
7,050
Dubai
Sorted. Booking.com are now applying Force Majeure conditions to UK domestic travel. So a full refund issues with no fee. Hopefully other travel providers are doing the same if people have Easter holidays etc. to cancel.

fd4a780fdacc3d9bcdd1f816baea17c9.jpg

That’s encouraging. I have two bookings over Easter, as mentioned above - a hotel and then a caravan. Both direct with the operator, and both fully paid upfront. Both are saying I can’t have a refund, I can only rebook within 2020 (and if the dates I want cost more, I have to pay the extra too).

This doesn’t really work for us. Firstly, who knows when holidays are going to be possible again in 2020. And secondly, we wanted to do this at Easter, not any other time (especially as we’ll only get a limited times for holidays now)

So I’m really hoping that force majeure or something similar is going to come in for these bookings too, and we can get our money back.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 


Marty___Mcfly

I see your wicked plan - I’m a junglist.
Sep 14, 2011
2,251
Now government has closed all hotels and caravan sites for leisure purposes, the operators cannot honour your bookings so I believe you are entitled to a full refund.

Check the Money Saving Expert website for up to date advice.

If the operators refuse to refund I would try contacting your travel insurance if you have any.
 


sully

Dunscouting
Jul 7, 2003
7,824
Worthing
We had a canal trip booked to coincide with the Burnley game. The company have just shifted our booking to the same week the following year. Hopefully, we’ll be away to a team somewhere near Burnley that week, too!

Still holding on to hope of our October trip to USA and Canada, but expecting to have to postpone that, too.
 




Marty___Mcfly

I see your wicked plan - I’m a junglist.
Sep 14, 2011
2,251
We had a canal trip booked to coincide with the Burnley game. The company have just shifted our booking to the same week the following year. Hopefully, we’ll be away to a team somewhere near Burnley that week, too!

Still holding on to hope of our October trip to USA and Canada, but expecting to have to postpone that, too.

Brave agreeing to a re-booking. There is no certainty that these companies will still exist at a later date. I would recommend that everyone seek a refund if you are entitled to one. Get the money back and decide what you want to do in terms of further bookings once this has ended.
 


bhafc99

Well-known member
Oct 14, 2003
7,050
Dubai
Just been looking on moneysavingexpert. Lots of confusion and frustration. For example, Sykes Cottages is getting a lot of flak. They're refusing refunds, saying every affected customer has to rebook or kiss goodbye to their money. People are saying they've looked at every possible date for rebooking, and the cost is always more: hundreds of pounds in most cases. To which, Sykes then say: tough.
 


Marty___Mcfly

I see your wicked plan - I’m a junglist.
Sep 14, 2011
2,251
Just been looking on moneysavingexpert. Lots of confusion and frustration. For example, Sykes Cottages is getting a lot of flak. They're refusing refunds, saying every affected customer has to rebook or kiss goodbye to their money. People are saying they've looked at every possible date for rebooking, and the cost is always more: hundreds of pounds in most cases. To which, Sykes then say: tough.

I think apartment / cottage bookings could be in a grey area. Government required all hotels etc. to close for leisure purposes but I am not sure they have issued any guidance on rental properties.

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Booking.com refunded my booking - that is based on them updating their own conditions. It does seem like you may be at the mercy of the companies at the moment.

If you are not being offered a full refund, I would suggest contacting your travel insurance if you have this. If the insurer will pay out this may be a preferable option to rebooking with a company which may not exist in a few months time.
 




Springal

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2005
23,711
GOSBTS
Just been looking on moneysavingexpert. Lots of confusion and frustration. For example, Sykes Cottages is getting a lot of flak. They're refusing refunds, saying every affected customer has to rebook or kiss goodbye to their money. People are saying they've looked at every possible date for rebooking, and the cost is always more: hundreds of pounds in most cases. To which, Sykes then say: tough.

If over £100 and a credit card is used - charge back them
 


Marty___Mcfly

I see your wicked plan - I’m a junglist.
Sep 14, 2011
2,251
Yes I agree- ask for a refund from the company. If refused, try travel insurance and / or your credit card company to seek a refund from them.

Re-booking should be a last resort, the company may go bust in the interim.
 


sully

Dunscouting
Jul 7, 2003
7,824
Worthing
Brave agreeing to a re-booking. There is no certainty that these companies will still exist at a later date. I would recommend that everyone seek a refund if you are entitled to one. Get the money back and decide what you want to do in terms of further bookings once this has ended.

Asking for a refund makes it more likely they’ll not be there next year.

I’ve only paid a deposit and was prepared to lose it. By next May, that deposit is so much sunk cost that I might even still cancel and lose it.
 



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